OverDrive - OverDrive - November 7, 2025 - Hour 2 - Mike Johnson/Sheldon Keefe

Episode Date: November 7, 2025

Join Aaron Korolnek, Jeff O'Neill and Jamie McLennan for Hour 2 on OverDrive! TSN Hockey Analyst Mike Johnson joins to discuss Joseph Woll's return to the Maple Leafs, Easton Cowan going to the AHL and the Blues looking to make deals. New Jersey Devils head coach Sheldon Keefe joins to discuss the Devils on a red-hot run, the coaching experience and the look around the league and Korolnek gives his FanDuel Best Bets.

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Now available on the free IHard Radio app Or ask your smart speaker to play Brian Adams Radio on IHart Radio Who's ready to rock? How's where I go? Kids want to ride. It's hour two of Overdrive, Friday night. Karolnik, McLennan, O'Neill.

We're brought to you by Fandul, bringing you more ways to play your game, Your Way, Hall of Fame weekend in Toronto. You guys are familiar with Hall of Fame weekend. You've got a bunch of buddies who've been inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame. Yeah. It's a great weekend. Get pretty wild downtown Toronto. I like going down there.

We get to do the game on TSN. We usually have one game on the weekend. This year it's Sunday night. Get to see the guys that are going in. it's a great time it's a great time yeah it is and you know what it's it's nice too because it's such a positive thing like you know i think the the league does a good job with it the hall of fame committee everybody and and you know you you see people you haven't seen in a long time their friends their family their teammates and all of that type of stuff so

yeah i've been fortunate enough especially in the last couple years having some close friends go in so it's kind of cool and you know i i don't mind being in the background for some festivities, you know, the parties and all of that. Oh, the parties are a real deal. Like, I went to Brendan Chanahan's, like, party, and it was like the who's who of hockey was there. Like, he was working at the NHL, I believe, at the time, and Gary, like Gary Batman, Steve Eisen, like the whole, anybody that was involved in hockey was there.

It was pretty cool, pretty cool deal. Well, on the subject of parties, William Neelander made an interesting comment today because the Toronto Maple Leafs, they're hot now. They've won three straight games. They have not lost in the month of November. Nielander explain what changed with this hockey team when he spoke to the media earlier today.

Any of the point to as to why that seems to happen kind of year after year? I don't know. We had a great Halloween party in Philly. When did he go as? Darth Vader. A man, a few words. A great Halloween party went as Darth Vader. Put a shirt on.

I don't know why he does those interviews with no tarp on. He's in great shape, I get it. He loves it. You know, put a tarp on. It must drive the PR people nuts. I think a lot of the teams I was on, there was a rule where you weren't allowed to do that. You had to put a T-shirt on a team interview.

I get it, but you know what? He's such a, you know, he's good-looking, charisma, all of that type of stuff. Like, I guess if I had ripped like him on tarp, but still, it's just... You guys could do tarps off over drives. They'd be ratings winners. I think that's a good idea. I think it's an option, Matt. Maybe next week at Boston Pizza and Winnipeg, it'll be like minus 20.

and tarps off. Tarps set up out on the, like outside. We do an outdoor show in the peg with some heating kind of lamps or something. Yes. With no tarps. I'm all in on that. All right. I'm all in on that.

But the Halloween party, it seems like guys kind of, I don't know, it seems like you want to just go to war from each other. And sometimes you just go out and you see somebody, but you're just goofing around and having a good time. And you're like, you want to pull out of it together. It's team bonding, man. I love it. I mean, I remember some of the costumes, right? I went a skinny, fat Hulk one year. I painted myself green.

I did wear just a ripped shirt, but, you know, I went as Homey the Cloud one time. Remember in Living Color? David Wayans in that? Obviously, you know, but, homie, I just had the clown wig and whatever, he threw a sock and stuff. There were some funny ones. Uncle Sam, I've got a picture of me as Uncle Sam in my first year pro. So it was good. I love that type of stuff, you know.

It's just always a good time. I don't know why in the NHL, the Halloween party is just still highly regarded. And it seems like it's still like going down. It's not like people are like, oh, we're just not doing it this year. Like they're doing a Halloween party. You lose five in a row. You're still doing a Halloween party. But you're doing it.

The weird thing is on NHL teams, you don't do it on Halloween. You do it when the schedule permits. So it's like, okay, October 20th, we're doing our Halloween party. Or, you know, November 4th, we're doing it because that's all you can do is you've got to fit it into the schedule where you have a couple days off where you can go have some drinks and enjoy yourself. So, yeah, I mean, as a team, I love those. The Halloween party, the rookie party, and then the Christmas party. Those were the three that I always enjoyed. I don't even know if it's called rookie party anymore.

You're not allowed to, or apparently, there's something about it. Somebody told me the other day, you're not allowed to call it rookie party or you're not allowed to turn it. it that way. I was like, what? Like, are we that? Like, why not? Who is that offending? I don't know. I don't know who you're offending, but all it is is dinner anyway, isn't it? I think, but it's, I think nowadays

you're only, it's a rookie party, but like you, it's capped. You could only pay a max of like five grand or something like that. Johnny would know. Johnny would know that stuff, but I don't know. It's ridiculous. Well, why don't we welcome in, Mike Johnson?

TSN hockey analyst joining us on the Maple Toyota. hotline. Oh yeah, there he is. Mike got rookie parties, Halloween parties, Christmas parties. What was number one for you in your NHL career? I think

early on it was the rookie party, rookie dinner, whatever you want to call it, the rookie night. And unfortunately when we were going through it, guys, there was no cap. I wish there was a $5,000 cap on those parties, but no, there was none. And then by the end, it morphed into Halloween. I mean, Halloween became the biggest team function of the year.

The biggest sort of social night party always turned out to be a Halloween party. Yeah, that's the thing. To me, there's always a star, too, Johnny. Like, it's somebody who's not, you know, a big name. It's the quiet guy or whatever. We had a few guys on our team that were quiet, and then all of a sudden you get a few drinks into them, and they're climbing the walls or doing whatever they have to do.

And one guy we called, after our parties, it was always Frank the Tate. We had a Frank the Tank on our team that just enjoyed himself. Like, this guy would go crazy. And we loved it because, you know, at one time our Christmas party, his wife dropped him off at like 4 o'clock at my house. So we had a pre-party before the party, and this guy put a clinic on. It was unbelievable. He was mixing margaritas in my kitchen at like 5 o'clock.

He forgot to put the lid on, and it exploded everywhere. It was a gong show, but that's the stuff you remember. Like, I was laughing about it with a buddy today. And, you know, these parties are, I don't know if they can do them now. They have to do them behind closed doors and no camera phones and all these types of things. Now there's rules to them, right? Yeah, I mean, our parties used to just be at a restaurant, then the bar. That's kind of where I would go.

Now, I can't imagine if it's a restaurant, it's a private restaurant or a private room. if it's a bar, it's probably not open to the public, whatever it might be. The whole dynamic would be different. There's always somebody that could sneak in a pick, Johnny. You just see the picks everywhere. Like whenever the Leafs are eliminated and they're golfing, there's always somebody on staff that takes a pick of them sitting around saying, and that picture circulates every year.

There they are. There's the Leafs. Somebody's always taking a pick. He's full Camel gear on by the first T-box, you on a long, long range lens photo, get a picture. Look at these losers taking, pick golfing already. I'm like, enough already. Let them live their lives.

But yeah, it would be a different dynamic. But hey, who knows? Maybe that's the key to their good November. They're off to another good November. Oh, you've been saying it that Hayes has been saying, don't worry, don't worry. November is coming. They'll be fine. I was skeptical.

But they look better. Not like they're just winning, but they're looking better while doing it. And that's both encouraging and a little surprising. Johnny, let me ask you this. Are you still skeptical? To what degree are you still skeptical? Because I still am a little bit. I am too.

Yeah, I think I'm still a little skeptical. Yeah. I absolutely am. I mean, they won a few games, not against, I mean, that are now in the playoffs, but maybe not against the best teams in the league. I still worry about their depth. I still worry about the overall pace.

if their defense can't sort itself out, especially with Chris Hanna's injury, that is also a concern. Yeah, I'm a little skeptical that it will be as good as last year. Even if they were to win a division, I don't think they would have as many points. The whole thing just still feels, I'm not sure, it's not still going to be a more difficult season this year than last. Johnny, I want to ask you about Easton Cowan. What does it mean for his standing right now? Like, he's got to be disappointed. Usually, when we talked about it yesterday, a player of that status that has the success,

in the OHL, and I know everybody is different. We all played against guys that were just ultra-studs, and it didn't work out somehow. And I'm not saying that's the case for this guy. But he's got to be looking at that kid in Pittsburgh, Kindle, and be like, that guy's in the NHL, and he just got drafted this year, and I'm in the H.L. What do you think his mindset is, and what do you think about the whole deal of him being in the American Hockey League right now? Well, if he's being honest with himself, he'd say, I'd have a better chance to be in the

NHL if I play for Pittsburgh. I play for a good team. I play with her team with a lot of contracts and that's going to squeeze me out. Oh, the gut reaction, the human one, the normal one would be that he'd be pissed off. Like, you know, I made the team. I played better than the guys behind me and I'm in the minors, not because I don't deserve to be in the NHL ahead of some of these guys. It's because they could put me here without going through waivers

and I'm the easiest guy to move down when they need a spot. And that both stinks, but that's also the reality of your life on an entry-level deal in an organization like the Toronto Maple Leafs and eventually you'd hope whether it's trades or whatever happens that they clear out some of those bodies so that the best 22 skaters will be in the NHL but until that times happens they have to go to the minors so

but didn't you think Johnny that he was going to be good enough to force somebody out? Did you not think he would play well enough because you know what it's like if you're good enough you're taking somebody's position and they're going to find a way to get rid of somebody else did you not think that that was going to happen he wasn't good enough by enough a margin right he was good enough to knock those guys out of the lineup when they had injuries and guys weren't available but whenever one's available i guess he wasn't good enough to put

how the yard croak on waivers to force that to happen and i'm not sure why that'd be the case one way the other but that's that's his reality he wasn't good enough by enough and that would be disappointing to him but oh i i don't think he i mean he's been good he's been solid he's been he's been he's been good he's been fine but he's not so so impactful that the team is noticeably worse or better with him in or out of the light of some games he looks a bit better some games dick robertson's better some games a bit better some dames lawrence is better and that's too close of a margin for a guy who doesn't need waivers so you know if you work the numbers i'm sure he has with his ages everyone else he knew that this was coming and ideally after getting over the disappointment he would go to the marlies and say all right I'm the best player here I'm going to play 22 minutes again I'm playing two minutes of every power play

I'm playing first line minutes I'm going to go back to being the kind of player and the kind of role that I was in London and do the same things I did in London in the American League so that when he gets back to the NHL which he will I would imagine before Christmas he'll be better served and better repaired to be to be better when he gets back to Leaves

as long as he gets over the disappointment now that would be hard to do But if he does, then he can, it's probably not a bad thing for his career to go there and be the best player. What about Joseph Wall? I mean, you know, it's obviously with Primo going on waivers, now you've got Wall coming back. He's going to go to the H.L. You know, what do you make of his whole story and coming back? We were talking about in the 4 o'clock hour.

It's been great that it's been able to, he's been able to have some privacy to himself to deal with that. And now he can come back and hit the ground running. I thought, Kate, you know, I don't know if this job's, if the media's job is to respect that his request for privacy, but I'm glad that for whatever reason it happened, where whatever's going on in his life, nobody really knows, nobody really talked about, nobody really dug it out to find out. I thought his statement, was it whatever yesterday, to the media, I thought it was a master class thanking the organization, thanking his teammates, thanking the media for respecting his privacy. then made it very clear. If I decide that I want to talk to about it, I will initiate that conversation. Nobody asked me about it because it's not going to be talked about unless I bring it up.

It's like he nipped it in the bud, no one will bring it up again. He thanked the media for their concern and his privacy. He thanked his teammates and on he went about focusing on the future. I thought that was really smart. And now for him, whatever he's been going through, hopefully he's through it and he's in a good spot. And he can just focus on the future and not. have whatever was going on

impact him in a negative way so it's good they need him back noodles you have been clear since day one when I was so bullish on Stolars and like he's a top five going the league has been the last two years you always said yeah but that's not as a starter it's always been as a backup or a 1B

and it's a different existence you made you always said that and I'm like yeah whatever 45 games 35 games who cares it's the same thing and you're like nope not the same physically not the same mentally and I think you're right Not that Stollars can't do it, but I think he needs occasional support and not playing nine of 11 games and mixing in days off and rest days and rehab days and he'll be better for it. So I think both goalies, the entire goaltending situation gets better once Joseph Wallis back up and running.

And my point with it, Johnny, and we both can agree on it, it's a different animal that 10 to 15 extra starts where you're not getting that rest, where everything's kind of squeezed in. I think Stolars is a fantastic goaltender. But last year, he had the luxury where if he had maybe an iffy start, which was rare, he might have had three or four days to recover from it to detail his game or rest and get up for the next one. It hasn't been the case this year. It's like, hey, you're playing two days later.

You're playing right away because there hasn't been an option to go to. When Joseph Wohl gets healthy and he's healthy, he just needs to get back into shape, game shape, that's when you're going to see them push for the net. And I'm excited to see what Joseph Wall has now, what he has now, because I want to see what his ceiling at the NHL level is. We know what Anthony Stolars is, but I want to see what Joseph Wall can do. He played in 44 games, I believe it was last year. If he can give some quality minutes, now you've got that tandem that's really strong.

That helps the team. That puts the team at another level when we are talking. about a team that is different this year than last year. Yeah, maybe needs better goal-titting. And if I'm Joseph Wall, while I'm going to be supportive of everyone and supportive of Stollars and be a duo, I'm not just going to concede the net. Like, I'm not saying he's the guy, I'm the support guy, he's the start around the back.

I'm not going with that attitude into the start of his season. I'm going to go in there and say, I'm going to play as well as I can. And if that earns me the 1A designation, as opposed to 1B, then I'll take it because I think everyone is curious to see Joseph Wall at his best, consistently good. Can he be that 1A as opposed to the 1B

that he was perhaps last year? TSN hockey analyst Mike Johnson with us here on overdrive. We've been talking a lot about Nazim Cadbury, the potential of him being on the trade block in Calgary. And then the St. Louis Blues decide last night to scratch Jordan Cairo who makes $8.1 million on a long-term

deal. There's a lot of buzz around the blues. And of course, remember last year we talked a lot about Brayden Shen potentially being on the block. Could everything point towards St. Louis come trade deadline, Mike? Maybe that's the team that could be looking to make some serious deals. Yeah, that'll be good by then.

Or, I wonder if they wait to the trade deadline. I think Doug Armstrong wants his team to be good. And if he's going to shake it up, he doesn't want to wait until they're into February, and it's too late. So if they're going to go big, which a Jordan Kairu trade would be, then you better go early to give

your team time to make up the lost ground. They're in last place in the whole league, even though they won last night. Maybe they're not anymore, but they were in last place in the entire league. So, Cairo was a good player. He would have suitors. He's underterm. If you're a team that wants to acquire guy and control that guy for a few years,

what a nice asset he would be. I keep looking at Montreal. They got the cash. They got good young players and prospects. They could make that deal, and they want to be much better in a gaping hole, whether it's Nazim Khadri or Jordan Kairu or whoever, a guy like that gets into Montreal in that roster

it's a dangerous, it's a dangerous situation for the rest of the teams the Atlantic. So I don't know if Kairu is going to go, would they even wait to the deadline? I think they would go before that to try to give the team the jolt they're looking for. Johnny, what did you,

I found some concerning comments after post game from two different players last night. One being Dobish and one being Ryan O'Reilly, who, is beloved by everybody in the game. Like, have you ever heard stuff like that? Not only from one guy, but from two different guys.

I mean, the O'Reilly one, like, I had one good year. I mean, come on, Ryan. Like, you've been a great player for a long time. Yeah. He's like, I can't make a six-foot pass. I suck. I'm like, I get falling on the sword. I get being hard on yourself.

I think we all are to some degree, whether it's publicly or privately. I don't know if that's the healthiest mentally. but whatever works for him, he's obviously had a great career, but it feels like that's not that good for you mentally to beat yourself up publicly in that regard. Let's be real about Nashville. They stink. Sorry, that's two years in a row.

Nashville stinks, man. And it's not his fault. No. It is not very good. So, and everyone, when he says that, everyone's going to jump to his defense. Like, no, no. Like, he's obviously going through a tough stretch,

but he's way better than he's letting on. So that is part of the conversation. The Doberch one to me, I, you know, athletes get criticized, the Leafs get criticized for being like too cool for school, not showing enough emotion in their responses to whatever it might be. I guess it's refreshing to see a player show visibly that he cares as much as fans who would probably want him to care. So I'm not going to criticize him for that. I would want to have a conversation saying, listen,

hockey's a tough game. it's not always going to go well and you've got to be ready you're the third star of the month you haven't lost this year like there's not a lot to be upset if you're yakub dovish so is this the best way to get you ready to be good again not don't be emotional i'm not going to tell them not to care you know i'm not even going to tell them not to get you know teary eyed in an interview i'm just i would want to have a conversation if you're going to play in two days is that emotion is that energy you're expending is that a good use of what you have available to? you and my answer would probably be no maybe there's a better way to to work through those feelings of disappointment of losing a game or thinking you're not playing well because that would wear on you if your highs are so high but then your lows go so low that is exhausting and that idea of being even keel especially for a goalie especially in Montreal you'd want you think it'd be better for him just to be a little bit more even keel to the good and the bad but um yeah i i i'm not going to tell them how to react i just would have a conversation hey we're here to support you but

that's wasted energy that that that game is gone we need you to be refreshed and focused on the next one mike i want to go back to nashville and i'm totally with oh and he says that team's no good that's been pretty apparent now for two years stamcoast i think is an interesting one and that he's got a couple years left on his deal eight million per let's say he was open to a trade how attractive is he on the open market to teams looking for helping their top six? If I'd do it.

If they're going to eat half, like, you're not taking them at eight. No, no, no, no, no. Eating half, I mean, that's a pretty, that's a big ticket to eat. I mean, you'd have to give up something pretty good if you're eating half for $4 million for Stamco's. I just want to bring them into the fold for one reason, for Kucharoff to feed them over one-timers and let him go to town.

Because the kid they brought in from Seattle is a nice player But Stephen Stamco's can shoot the puck better Yeah, but I mean What's happened is they've got Gensel there now Like they've replaced him I get it, he's a left-handed shot He's a left-handed shot But they might have really moved on where they're like

No way man I think you're looking at teams that Is Stamco's what he I think the conversation should be In MJ it's to you Can Stamco's playing a top six for you or would you rather see him in a top nine? He's 35 years old.

So are you going to get what you believe out of it to trade for him as a top six or trade for him as a support guy who can score and is still a heck of a player? I think at this point, top nine and a power play guy would be more likely what you're acquiring. And if I'm, like the idea if I'm talking to Nashville, okay, if I'm taking on the whole contract,

the one, I understand Samco's would have to waste, but I'm taking on that entire contract. the what national is getting is out of the contract they don't need an asset back they can get freddie charles they can get from future considerations and be out of the contract now if national is eating two million dollars a year three million dollars a year and then stammer at five i mean didn't have 27 goals last year or something yeah it's been a tough start but he's not a dog like he can still score points so a guy like that would get to 25 goals and 50 points for four million dollars that is a steal and absolute bargain.

So make no mistake, he's still at the right number makes a lot of sense. But I don't think you're bringing him in. He doesn't drive play anymore. He's got to be with good players so you need the right systems for him to play in. You know, if you're the Leafs and you want to, you know, top four winger, does he

make a lot of sense there? Him and Tavares, I don't, yeah, I don't know if that makes sense. But I think a top nine offensive specialist with national eating some money, yeah, a lot of teams would like that guy. And I don't think it's even that complicated a deal. other than getting Stamco's to agree to go a different team because he's going to be picky about where he goes with his family,

which he has earned the right to be. But other than that, I don't think Nashville would want a whole bunch of anything, really, to get Stamco's off the roster. Johnny, are you lying on a bed in a hotel room at the end of the bed? I feel like you've got, like, your elbows on the end of the bed and your chin and your hands. I'm on a desk.

You know how hard it is to set up stuff in a hotel room? Believe me, we do it every night. it's so frustrating trying to get the right angle you don't want to see like you know you don't want something invisible in the background sometimes the bathroom doors open that's when you send a note saying guys i just can't make this happen today sorry yeah zooms down the best part oh if i'm being honest i did have a little rig here i have a warning on my phone that comes on 10 minutes before battery my overdrive appearances i was sound asleep when not a warning came up. So this is a seven-minute turnaround to get to this spot. I think I've done okay.

I think you've been great. Dude, it's incredible. It's incredible. Terrific work, Mike, as always. Thank you for doing this. I appreciate that, boys. All right. That is, have a good weekend. You too. That's TSN hockey analyst, Mike Johnson, joining us on the Maple Toyota hotline. Get in and go where adventure takes you in a new 2025 Tacoma from Maple Toyota near Canada's Wonderland in the Maple Auto Mall. Visit MapleTiota.com. setting up different shots and hotel rooms and places all around North America. You need, like, some kind of tripod that you travel with that might make it easier for you. I've got a travel rig, but it's annoying to travel with because you've got to, I've got a little

briefcase. I've got to put the tripod and the ring light and all that. There's a new rule. You just send in a note saying, I'm out today. Like, trust me. I would be out for like 35 shows, though, like it's, like I travel so. I'd be sending the notes saying, guys, I'm just not setting up in the stupid hotel room. There are some challenges, I will say.

There's times, I had an incident a couple weeks ago where my ring light went out, like just crashed and burned, about 15 minutes before the show. So I had to Rockford Files. I found a coin, and I took apart the lamp so that the light could come off, and I had it like bent over and I taped it up. I basically MacGybered a light for myself so that you could see. and I was jammed in the corner of a hotel room, and it made it work somehow. Dedication.

By a ringlight the next day. It was crazy. Absolutely, no way. As a person who watches the show every day, I appreciate that level of effort and hard work noodles. Thank you very much. Thank you very much. It's Jamie McClennan. That's Jeff O'Neill.

I'm Aaron Kournick. Sheldon Keefe, the head coach of the New Jersey Devils is standing by as we continue an hour two of overdrive. Mail it in Friday is brought to you by Boston Pizza, Canada's favorite sports bar. Enjoy $15 lunch at BP. where you get an entree aside and a drink and you'll get it all in 20 minutes or less. A fast lunch doesn't have to be fast food. See you for a $15 fast lunch at your local Boston pizza. Second hour continues on this mail-in-friday.

We're brought to you by Boston Pizza. Canada's favorite sports bar. Enjoy a $15 lunch at BP where you get an entree aside and a drink and you'll get it all in 20 minutes or less. A fast lunch doesn't have to be fast food. See you for a $15 fast lunch at your local Boston pizza. Aaron Kourulnick, in for Brian Hayes. with Jeff O'Neill and Jamie McClennon.

Sheldon Keith, the head coach of the New Jersey Devils, will join us in a moment. I was checking my weather app during the commercial break. A lot of snow is coming to the GTA this weekend. Way too early for snow. At first week of November, is that a joke? What is this? Well, I thought it was going to rain,

but now it's switched to snow. Oh, it's going to snow. Yeah, it's snowing. I can't even believe it. And we're all heading to Winnipeg next week. I would, in Winnipeg, it snows in early November, totally believable. Not for us here in Toronto. This is a joke.

Yeah, it's disappointing, but hey, we're going to have to tough it out. I mean, it could be worse. I don't think it's snowing in New Jersey, is it? Sheldon Keefe can let us know that. Maybe not, maybe not. And we have a man who's very familiar with Toronto winners, having been the head coach of the Maple Leafs for a long time. Let's bring him in the coach of the Devils.

It is indeed, Sheldon Keith with us here at an hour two of overdrive. What's up, Sheldon? How you doing? Not too much. I appreciate you guys having me on here, 5.30 on a Friday to talk about the weather. It's perfect. Just go. Well, talk about your team. Red Hot Devils, right? Top spot in the metro. Injuries, not an issue like last year. You must be feeling pretty good about your squad so far. Yeah, you know what? We got off the great start, no question. We just kind of came off of a tough road trip that didn't go so well.

but, you know, certainly we look at the hole, you know, we're happy with where we're at and recognize that it's still very tight. Lots of teams, I think, are pretty happy with where they're at, and we've got to obviously keep it moving here. Sheldon, how do you get those guys, like, when it comes crunch time over the playoffs? I know you were a little bit pissy with them out west a couple days ago, whenever it was, but, like, they want to, those guys can move out there, and they can boogie up and down the ice. When it comes to, like, that, getting down to business and grinding it out,

how do you find a balance with those guys to kind of to really get over the hump we all know what playoff hockey is like and you got to have a balance you got to have your players your skill guys that you have doing what they're doing but it's also a different game yeah no question i mean i think that that's ultimately we're we're trying to get to uh yeah this is not a team that's been in the playoffs a whole lot historically you know they've had you know i think it's last year for a lot of them was the second time playing in the playoffs but We didn't have Jack Hughes, so I didn't get an opportunity for, you know, to coach him at that time. But, yeah, I think there's a couple of things. I mean, yeah, we want to build our game, be ready for the playoffs. But we also need to build the game in the regular season that mimics that and be prepared that way. Because I think it's also the most sustainable way to, you know, to be a good team and not have road trips like we just had where, you know, the bottom kind of falls out on us defensively. So that's really, that's what we're preaching. every single day and you know we've got work ahead and stay with it you mentioned jack he seems

like quite the character he seems like he might have a few things to say back to whoever it might be but man is he a talented guy when he's on the ice his ability to handle the puck move with the puck shoot the puck he does it all he's a special player there's no question he's able to he's able to do a lot uh with a little you know and and but the way he moves with his feet and And the way he can skate out of pressure or to bring the puck into good places to extend the play and drive offense is pretty special and unique in the league, no question. But I really enjoy him. I think he's a thoughtful guy. He's a smart guy.

He studies the game. He studies other players and other teams. I think he really just, you know, he wants to be in the elite player that his talent shows. I think he's got a lot of drive to be mentioned and recognized amongst the best players. And I think he also recognized that part of that is being on a winning team. So, Sheldon, the league is a little bit different this season, or it seems like it early on. A lot of parity, you know, from the bottom of the, we'll call it the Eastern Conference right to the top. I think there was 10 teams I looked this morning that either had 14 to 17 points.

So it seems like a three-game winning streak or a three-game losing streak. can really cede you a lot differently. Are you noticing a little bit more parody this year, or is it just seemed like a unique start where some of the teams that were maybe rebuilding have turned a corner and gotten into that competitive edge? You know what? It's been interesting.

I mean, we're only, I guess we just played our 14th game the other night. We went on an eight-game winning streak, you know, here and we're really going, and I don't think we made any ground on anybody. We don't have much of a cushion there. We play a few bad games out on the road trip, and everyone's right there with us. So that's just how tight it is. I think overall it seems like the East has taken a lot of points away from the West in general when you look at it.

That said, the West gave it to us pretty good on that trip that I've been talking about here. But, yeah, it seems like a lot of teams that have been sort of at the bottom in rebuilding have really taken a step. and all those teams that have just been right on the fringe of the playoffs, you know, hungry and ready to go. And then, of course, there's the usual teams that, you know, some got off the great starts, some got off the poor starts, but everybody seems to be right there. So I don't expect it to change.

And then you look around the league, we just played San Jose and Anahe and even out last. And, you know, these teams are, you know, their players have taken significant steps. And the skill level that they have, I think, is, you know, amongst the best in the league. so, you know, as he's got to gain more experience, you're going to see it, you know, on both conferences, and we don't expect to have much room to breathe all season long.

It's got to stay with it. Sheldon Keefe, the coach of the New Jersey Devils, is with us here an hour two of overdrive. You mentioned you guys played San Jose recently, and Macklin-Sellibarini's been a guy that a lot of people here in Toronto across the hockey world have been talking about. He leads the league in scoring alongside McDavid. What was your assessment of seeing him up close in his second season? Yeah, we played. Yeah, we played them twice already

and played them at home as well. So, yeah, seen them in those games, obviously, seen them on video lots and prepped for those games. But I will say, even last season, like, I was so impressed by this guy. You know, you never quite know with these young guys coming in.

They get a lot of press for their talents, and he would get a lot of press well-deserved for the scoring that he's been doing. But I think he's just got a very complete game. He's hard on the puck. He's big, he's strong, he's good defensively. He works. He can be a good.

beats, you know, he's a young guy. It's in the league that seems like playing center is no issue for him, and a lot of times he's really super talented guys come in, and you're not really sure if they can handle the middle of the rank, but he's an impressive talent for sure. There's lots of lots there. And that Anaheim team seems to have one or two guys on every line that are making a name for themselves earlier with the skill set.

So lots of talent coming around the league here for sure. It's good for everybody. Keith, our colleague at TSN, Brucey Boudreau, admitted that even when he was coaching in the league on off nights, he would watch Leaf Games. He loved watching Leaf Games. He was just, I don't know, something about him. He just had to watch the Leafs.

What is your kind of thought towards that? Do you pay any attention whatsoever to what's going on? Yeah, I pay a bit, especially when I'm back. You know, actually, my family still living in Toronto, So, you know, I get back there, I get back there quite a bit. In fact, I was there when they played the other night, and I was watching that game. I can't remember the days of the week now, but I was back in, you know, I get back to usually once a week or so on our off days. I'm flying back to see the wife and kids and catch a little minor hockey while I'm there.

But, yeah, I've been paying attention. I, you know, I got so much respect and so much love for the people there. So I keep tabs when I can. You know, usually if you've got a spare moment, you're kind of checking in on the team that you're playing now. next. But, you know, enjoy some good Canadian broadcast when I'm back. And it's interesting to be on the other side of it and just kind of tune it in and taking it in. But not surprisingly, they're off and running here now. And, you know, it's good to see for them. And I hope they do great, except for when they play the doubles. So Sheldon, how tough is it with a condensed schedule

to manage your team as far as, you know, days off, practice time, all of that? I mean, you know, you mentioned you guys have been out west already. Some teams have had an easy schedule. Some teams have really had to, you know, dig in and either head out west or teams that west have come out east. So, you know, how tough is it as far as practice planning and managing, you know, your players in between games? Is it been with the condensed schedule?

Yeah, it's been really tough. You know, and I think it's going to, there's going to be times where it's really, really tight. and times it's going to loosen a little bit. We're at a time where it's a little bit looser right now for the next little bit. Granted, we're going to play every second day or so, but it's not going to be as condensed. I mean, that road trip we just had out in California there. We started in Colorado. We went across California and played those three teams, but those four games were, that finished a stretch of eight games and 13 days for our team in, you know, six cities and three different time zones. So, yeah, that's the kind of stuff you're going to have

to deal with and the practices are very minimal. I mean, we're getting any, you know, the last few weeks we've been anywhere from, you know, 35 to 50 minutes of practice time per week. That's kind of what we're looking at and that's split over two days usually, you know, so

today we practice for 20 minutes, you know, because we're, we feel like we're still recovering from that road trip and that 13, yeah, those 13 games, days, excuse me, in eight games and the injuries are piling up here. So we're, we're, having to be very, very conscious, even though it's early, with the workload of the players.

Sheldon, keep with us, head coach of the New Jersey Devils. It is the Hall of Fame weekend, Sheldon, and one of your former players, Joe Thornton, getting inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame. You coach them for a couple years. What can you tell us about Jumbo Joe and your time coaching him? Unbelievable passion for the game, unmatched passion for the game, energy. the fun that he has around the building, no matter what's happening,

can be the most stressful situation or the team could be thriving, his mood didn't change, and I think that rubbed off on the players to be able to kind of let go. And it was a challenging time. It was during the Canadian division and no fans and any of that kind of stuff.

So it was really strange in that sense. But having some of the spirit love of the game, like Jumbo, It was great to be around and just love to be on the ice and working. And because of that, he made some real great connections with a lot of the players. And it speaks to his character. And to be able to have that level of passion at that stage of his career was fun to be a part of it and to watch. He must have got your attention a couple of times where you were so pissed off and you caught him laughing or something.

There must have been a couple of times where you're like, I can't believe this guy. is laughing like he is right now. There's not, there was many, there's no bad days, you know, no bad days in the right, uh,

but Joe, you know, um, I think even there was times, I think even after that, like when he was playing along the way, you know, he was playing,

you ended up playing down in Florida after that. There was times we were playing the Panthers. He would be at our locker room, just, you know, hanging out with the guys. He can't allow you. He doesn't care.

Like, he would not care. Usually he'd be like, oh, I don't want to see Kiefer. If he comes in, or he'll lose it, but he would not care. He would not care.

I've never met someone that's comfortable in who he is in Jumbo. And I guess that just lets everyone else kind of let their guard down. He's fun to be around. I'm sure it'll be a fun time for he and his family and everyone that will be there with him. Thank you so much for doing this for us tonight. We appreciate your time. Have a great weekend. Best of luck the rest of the way.

Appreciate it, fellas. Thank you. Take care. Jack Sheldon. Sheldon Keefe, Coach of the Devils. Yeah, Thornton, just such a beauty. I'll tell you a quick story. We were flying to Europe this summer as a family, and we go into the lounge before the flight,

and I look over and Joe's there with his family. Now, it's a nine-hour flight overseas. He's wearing a muscle shirt and a pair of shorts and nothing else. I'm like, there's no, like, those flights get cold. it's an overnight flight in that he's on the bird he was sitting behind step and him and his wife and just taking pictures with people and he's just the friendliest kindest person ever and just he was holding court i'm like this guy with the big beard and a muscle shirt on white muscle shirt on and he's jumping on the plane it was unbelievable he's such a great human and i i'm i'm so happy that he's going in and you know you talk about somebody who enjoyed the game that guy

literally enjoyed every day of playing hockey, which was pretty cool. He really did, man. Yeah. Hell of a player too. What a stud. So many assists, one of the all-time best passers in NHL history. How about winning the heart trophy, getting traded the year you win

the heart trophy? He had a, what do you have? Almost 130 points that year, too. I remember he's a lot. Master. Monster. Yeah. Wow. I still remember that. I remember looking at that trade. And with all due respect to the players that went the other way, and I'm sure Boston had some big time regrets the guy won the heart trophy the same year you trade him like that is crazy man

he's a hell of a player he was a hell of a player one of the best passers ever and you know the beard he became it came larger than life you know i think that's what joe has become like his personality the beard it's kind of like his his thing now but it's it's awesome and he's helping out in san Jose i believe he's doing some player development or advising whatever it was they him a role there and I was chatting with him about it and he was just like yep gonna do whatever I do just show up and enjoy time with the boys that's what he said it was awesome and you think is his boy Patrick Marlowe would be getting in pretty soon too in the next couple of years you'd think considering the career that he had I believe there's only four players

in hl history with 500 goals who aren't in the hockey hall of fame marlowe's one of them pat verbeeks another peter bondra and keith kitchuk I think those are the four Keith Kachuk's got to get in at some point, too, you'd think. I would think, Keith. I was heartbroken, like Harry Price didn't make it, but, I mean, Price will make it, yeah, it's just a matter of time, but you're right. Like, Kachuk, I think, should make it. A lot of those guys, it's just a fine line, right?

500, you know, goals, and, but, again, it depends. If you get 500 goals in, like, 1,800 games, you know. Well, that's Marlowe, right? That's Marlowe, right? Yes, exactly. I always just go to, you know, and I'm getting tired of just doing it. but I'm like, Kujo's not in, Keith Kachuk's not in.

And I always, I don't like break down how many games it took them to the 500. But every year I go down to that rink and I see guys going into the Hall of Fame and I'm like, Keith Kachuk's better than that guy. Yeah. Why isn't Keith Kichuk in the Hall of Fame? Yeah.

I don't want to name names and getting it. It's just, it's so bizarre. It's like Keith Kichuk was a unique player, man. American-born, power forward, 500 goals. Like, he was a hell of a player and deserves to be in the Hall of Fame. I don't get it. I just don't get it.

I agree. I think he will get in. I think it's dependent on the class, too. This was a particularly strong class with guys who were no-brainers. I think that's why Carrie Price didn't get in, but I think Price next year is a lock. And I think Keith Kachuk, hopefully, will be a hockey Hall of Famer before long. We continue with our best bets powered by Fandall to wrap things up on this Friday afternoon here on Overdrive. All right, it's time now for today's best vets.

They're powered by Fandle. Make Your Picks, Assembly, same game parlay, and say. seconds on the Fandual Sportsbook app. Semi-final Saturday in the Canadian Football League. I like Montreal to beat Hamilton. Stevie Scott over rushing. Tyson Philpott over receiving. Today's best bets, powered by Fandals.

Same game parlays are now available for every CFL game on the Fandul's sports book app. Please play responsibly 19 plus physically located in Ontario. You guys planning on a visit to the Palomino Club next week in Winnipeg? Does that play still open, man? I went there when I was like 19 years old. Last time I was there in the Peg, when the Great Cup was in Winnipeg, I think this, in 2016, 2017, I think there was four people in the bar, and they were all from TSN, and we were all looking around and be like,

uh-oh, is this place finished? I don't know. We might have to explore next week. I'm going to be in Winnipeg all week long. I'm looking forward to it. Palomino. I got to play in the old barn. Do you know what they did to the old bar?

Did they rip it down or whatever? I only was there for one year, and it was the old barn, and then they moved to Arizona. I was injured. I couldn't play. But that old barn was something else, man. Oh, yeah. It was something else. Great.

Yeah, I played there a few times. You know what, Winnipeg's a great city. It's not for everybody. That's the thing. But the people that live there take so much pride in it. I'm actually fired up to go, and we're going to be at a BP. There's going to be the Great White North there. Are you going to come with me in Hazy Bee?

We're going to do a tour, we hope, of the rink. We haven't been to the rink. We haven't seen the rink. I've been to the rink several times. So you're not coming to that. Bring doogie with you. He'll come and stand. The jets aren't in town, but we can go.

It doesn't matter. We just want to, me and Hayes, you know how weird he is when we travel. He said he wants to go see the rink, and I said, I do too, so he's pretty fired up about that. Okay, we'll go see. I'll come with you, too. We're literally staying very close to it. Put it that way.

Yeah. We just want to check it out. If somebody there, if there's a train. that stays behind, somebody that can just give us a quick little toot around. That's all we want. That's it. All right. Maybe a hoodie or something.

The rink and then the Palomino. That sounds like a great night in Winnipeg. That is. And Earls. And Earls. Well, obviously, Boston pizza, both nights for pizza and wings and all of that, but I need lunch there at Earles. It's going to be a great time.

This is my 11th Grey Cup, which is insane to say, but I've been to a lot of great cups. And Winnipeg was a wild time the last time it was hosted there. and that's legendary parties isn't there leading up to it it's unbelievable it's the greatest time and I grew up in Toronto not a CFL fan but obviously working here at TSN working with the nail gun a lot learned to love the CFL and it's as good a time as there is

when it comes to socializing mixing it up it delightful time fellas it's going to be a great time I can't wait I cannot wait my nickname used to be Mr. Gray Cup so hopefully I can reprise it for one last go One last go. That is quite something. That's quite a nickname.

We'll be sure to hang out with you while we're there. You should. You'll be lucky enough. I'll be at the Palomino. Hopefully you join us. You're worried about getting a hoodie at the rink. Me? Palomino.

All right, bud. We'll figure it out. Yes, we will. Great to be with you guys. Brian will be back on Monday. I said hello, Canada, to open. So why don't I say goodbye, Canada, to close? Mail it in Friday is brought to you by Boston Pizza, Canada's favorite sports bar.

Enjoy $15 lunch at BP, where you get an entree, a site and a drink can you'll get it all in 20 minutes or less. A fast lunch doesn't have to be fast food. See you for a $15 fast lunch at your local Boston pizza. The newest tracks. And the next big thing. Baby, what was that? And your first place to hear it all.

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